Lesson 10 – Demonstration in Teaching

“Good demonstration is good communication.”

                  

Demonstration “is a public showing and emphasizing of the salient merits, utility, efficiency, etc of an article or product.” In teaching it is showing how a thing is done and emphasizing of the salient merits, utility and efficiency of a concept, a method or a process or an attitude.

A good demonstration is an audio-visual presentation. It is not enough that the teacher talks. To be effective, his/her demonstration must be accompanied by some visuals.

To plan and prepare adequately for a demonstration, we first determine the goals, the materials we need, our steps and rehearse.

What guiding principles must we observe in using demonstration as a teaching-learning experience? Edgar dale ( 1969 ) gives at least three:

1.      Establish rapport. Greet your audience. Make them feel at ease by your warmth and sincerity. Stimulate their interest by making your demonstration and yourself interesting. Sustain their attention.

2.      Avoid the COIK fallacy ( Clear Only If Known ) It is the assumption that what is clear to the expert demonstrator is also clearly known to the person for whom the message is intended.

3.      Watch the Key points. Dale ( 1996 ) says,” they are the ones at which an error is likely to be made, the places at which many people stumble  and where the knacks and tricks of the trade are especially important.”

In the actual conduct of the demonstration itself we see to it that we:

1.      Get and sustain the interest of our audience

2.      Keep our demonstration simple

3.      Do not hurry nor drag out the demonstration

4.      Check for understanding in the process of demonstration 

5.      conclude with a summary

6.      Hand out written materials at the end of the demonstration.

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